Cowboys won’t be surprised if Anthony Spencer starts season on PUP list

Posted by Josh Alper on May 25, 2014, 8:49 AM EST

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In late April, Cowboys defensive end Anthony Spencer said that he was hopeful he’d recover from microfracture surgery on his left knee in time for the start of training camp in July.

The Cowboys likely have the same hope, but it is falling well short of an expectation. Coach Jason Garrett, speaking generally about players returning from serious injuries, said that he doesn’t know if you can count on any player in that position and executive vice president Stephen Jones said they re-signed Spencer this offseason with the knowledge that he may not be ready to go until the regular season is well underway.

“We’re eyes wide open on this,” Jones said, via the Dallas Morning News. “I won’t be totally surprised if he starts the season on PUP. Anthony thinks he might be back. I hope he does. We came into this knowing that he could be a PUP guy.”

The Cowboys built Spencer’s deal with that in mind, loading it with incentives that Spencer will have to be healthy enough to earn on the field, and they’ve added a lot of help on the defensive line to give themselves options in the event Spencer’s knee won’t let him go. Even if he can, it’s a bit of a mystery how well he’ll do at defensive end after playing just 34 snaps there last season. All in all, it adds up to more questions than answers about what Spencer can offer in 2014.

GM/Coach, What would it hurt???? Take a look at Vince Young…..
There are a lot worse QBs on NFL rosters that has never had the success Vince Young has had …(NFL Rookie of the Year, 2 Pro Bowls, Playoff experience and Mobility). Vince has a career winning record of 31-19…
I hope he gets another chance even if it’s third string…

This was a personal favor to him along with a minimal $423K gamble. In addition to actually playing, he can offer advice and veteran leadership/motivation as the Marinelli “Rushman” D-Line scheme requires lots of rotation…There will be around an average of dozen men who will play the DLine per game in his scheme.

It’s tough watching this once proud and relevant franchise continue to blunder. Over the years since their glory days its been awful drafts, high priced, over the hill FA’s, Jerry Jones, no depth, no attitude or personality of toughness on both sides of the ball, injury prone players kept on the roster and paid for unrealized potential, sorry, coaching, Tony Romo’s clutch moment failures, throwing the ball in the fourth quarter, not being able to close out games, horrible secondary play, and that travesty of a Victoria’s Secret..I mean, stadium, that gives them no home field advantage..what a joke. Now Spencer will rob them for more money and, ya know? More power to him, just continues the tradition of mediocrity.

Funny how the Seahawks get a lot of positive pub for signing a sixth round pick to a contract after discovering he had a heart condition, while when the Cowboys re-sign a long term valuable player to a minimum contract with the knowledge that he might not play ever again somehow it’s because they are the most mediocre franchise in professional sports. Great double standard.

its mind boggling to hear people compare DE to 3-4 OLB and say he cant play DE they are pretty much the same they still have to go against Tackles but play against TE about the same amount of snaps learn the Game watch Game tapes u will see their isnt much difference they still have to play the Run as OLB and Anthony Was great at playing against the Run Game!!!

The Seahawks turned a bad situation into a great P.R. move, feel good story. Plus, that player isn’t ruled out of ever playing again. It was a no brainer. The Seahawks have shown over the last 3 years what a good coach/GM/ownership and philosophy combination can accomplish on and off the field. This is the exact opposite of what the Cowboys have done over the last 15 years. If you want to compare, the Seahawks would never franchise a player with Spencer’s production 2 years in a row, he would be released or allowed to sign elsewhere. 17 mil that Spencer got with the tag over 2 years makes this minimum like pocket change for him. He’s been in the NFL longer than most and as a first rounder that the Cowboys traded picks for, I expect him to win his job back through competition.

Lots of Dallas Cowboy haters out there that are blind to the better decisions Jerry and co. Have been making lately and as a lifelong Cowboy fan. I think with a healthy Romo and a Marinelli lead defense we will have a great year! COUNT ON IT HATERS!!!